IN THIS ISSUE - ASP Ship · PDF fileforthcoming amendments of the IMO International Safety...

AUGUST 2010

• A U S T R A L I A • N E W Z E A L A N D • S I N G A P O R E • U N I T E D K I N G D O M •• S C A N D I N AV I A • I N D I A • I TA LY • P H I L I P P I N E S • U K R A I N E • G E O R G I A •

House Journal of ASP Ship Management Group

WE MANAGE SHIPS SAFELYWE MANAGE SHIPS SAFELY

SHIP MANAGEMENT GROUP www.aspships.com

IN THIS ISSUEBulk carrier launchedBunker barge to rescueBRM developmentsASPCM opens in GeorgiaNew travel offi ce in Mumbai

2 ASPECTS AUGUST 2010

More global expansionDavid Borcoski Group Managing Director & CEO

First of bulk carrier seriesThe launch and naming of the fi rst of a series of fi ve new buildings for the leading Indian shipping company Chowgule Steamships (see opposite page) was one of the signifi cant recent events for ASP. The Maratha Prestige, a 32000dwt Handy-size bulk carrier, built at Hakodate Shipyard, Japan was launched on June 9 and will be managed by ASP India, together with the other vessels to follow. They will be an important addition to the growing ASP fl eet.

BRM developmentsOur leadership in the continuing progress towards fl eet-wide implementation of the Advanced Bridge Resources Management program has taken a major practical step forward with the production of a specifi c Port Passage Plan for the notoriously diffi cult approaches to the Port of Gladstone in Central Queensland, Australia. The Plan was developed from an intensive training course on simulators at the Australian Maritime College in Tasmania and involved senior Masters and offi cers from ASP vessels and pilots from the Port of Gladstone. It is expected that similar plans will be developed for other ports frequently visited by ASP vessels.The ASP Ship Management Group is now at the forefront of this Advanced Bridge Resource training process globally and in the subsequent implementation in our whole fl eet.

Keeping in touchASP management is keeping a close watch on the very important regulatory developments taking place throughout the shipping industry. Prominent among these are the forthcoming amendments of the IMO International Safety Management (ISM) Code on risk management, safety culture and environmental management, which will set new standards for the world shipping industry.We have also noted that as from January 1, 2011 all ships will be required to incorporate Electronic Chart Display and Information System, (ECDIS) and Bridge Navigational Watch Alarm System (BNWAS), under amendments to SOLAS regulations made last year. These requirements will mean a big task for ship owners and managers in ensuring that eligible ships are installed with the new equipment. Crews and staff will also need to be trained accordingly.

Well done, LarcomThe management and crew of the International Bunker Supplies (IBS)barge Larcom, based in Gladstone, Australia, showed a commendably versatile response to a recent emergency. The vessel was chartered by salvors to unload fuel oil and water from the Chinese owned coal carrier Shen Neng 1 in April, after she had stranded on the Great Barrier Reef. This operation was largely responsible for the safe refl oating of the vessel.

The Larcom’s task was to load the fuel oil and water, using pumps on the Shen Neng 1, then return the cargo back to Gladstone for storage and disposal. The crew took the barge a considerable distance to the stranded vessel from Gladstone in two separate trips. All IBS personnel and assistants were subsequently deservedly recognised by ASP Group Management and the Port of Gladstone authorities.

An offi ce in GeorgiaAnother major development has been the newly opened ASP Crew Management offi ce in the Republic of Georgia, Europe, which has been established in response to the expansion of business for ASPCM in neighbouring Ukraine. The new operation, ASP Crew Management Georgia, will provide crewing services from Georgia’s port city of Batumi, the principal maritime outlet for Georgia, from which oil from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan is shipped globally. We look forward to ASPCM Georgia becoming a thriving outpost of the ASP Group.

Mariner Travel expandsMariner Travel also extended its range with the opening of an offi ce in Mumbai within the ASPCM premises, an indication of our increasing business in the region, and the potential for further expansion. We extend a hearty welcome to the three Mariner Mumbai staff members, Neha Sharma, Levita D’cunha and Varsha Bhapkar.

Training initiativesThe ASP Training Team in Mumbai continues to explore new initiatives, as exemplifi ed by the recent Liquid Cargo Simulator Handling Course, held in Mumbai at the International Maritime Training Centre. The team has also recently instituted psychometric testing for offi cer cadets.

Welcome to newcomersI extend a warm welcome to all those who have recently joined our staff in ASP offi ces in Mumbai, Georgia, the Ukraine and Australia. We can certainly claim that our worldwide reach is growing.

Wedding seasonIt seems the past few months have been the ASP wedding season. Following the marriage of Group Finance Director Adrian Whatley and Laura Traynor in March, we must now congratulate and give our best wishes to ASPCMS India IT Manager Nilesh Surve and his wife Shraddha, who married in May in Mumbai, and ASP Singapore General Manager Rob Walker and Lin who wed in Singapore in June.

FarewellIt is always sad to lose a shipmate, but recently, we have recorded the deaths of three highly regarded ASP staff members. We extend to the families, friends and colleagues of Capt Tom Moyes, Maintenance Engineer Warren Jones and I/R John Massie, our deepest sympathies. They were valuable members of the ASP team and will be very much missed.

Cover Picture:The Handy-size bulk carrier Maratha Prestige meets the water at her naming and launching in June at the Hakodate Dock Co. Ltd, Japan. The vessel is the fi rst of fi ve being built for Chowgule Steamships Ltd, to be managed by ASP India.

ASPectsHouse Journal of the ASP Ship Management Group

Editor: Nigel PorteousEditorial Consultant: Bryan Reid

Design, production and correspondence to: Nigel PorteousASP Ship Management

473 St Kilda Road, Melbourne Vic 3004 AustraliaTel: +61 3 9211 9379 Email: [email protected]

ASPECTS AUGUST 2010 3

New bulk carrier launched in Japan

A new 32000dwt Handy-size bulk carrier, Maratha Prestige being built for Chowgule Steamships Ltd, was named and launched at Hakodate shipyard, Japan on June 9 by Ms Padma Chowgule, Managing Director of Chowgule Industries Ltd, who also performed the preliminary Guru Puja ceremony.

The vessel will be managed by ASP India. Another four sister vessels have been ordered with the same shipyard due for delivery during 2011-14.

Also attending the launching were: Mr Vijay Chowgule, Chairman, Chowgule Steamships Ltd; Mr Suresh Talwar, Director, Chowgule and Co. Pvt. Ltd, and Mrs Talwar; Mr Mangesh Sawant, Executive Director and CFO, Chowgule Steamships Ltd, Mr Pratap Shirke, Chairman, ASP Ship Management Group; ASP Group Chief Executive Offi cer and Managing Director David Borcoski, and Pan Oceanic Bulk Carriers Director Robert Lambert.

After the Guru Puja and the Ganapati Puja had been performed by Ms Padma Chowgule and Mr Vijay Chowgule, there followed a prayer by representatives from the vessel’s owners and the shipyard.

Then came the hoisting of the national fl ags of India and Japan, with the playing of their respective national anthems, and the presentation of a bouquet to Ms Padma Chowgule who then named the vessel and cut the champagne bottle cord for the launching.

Later, at a celebration party, speeches were made by Mr Hideo Okeda, President of the Hakodate Dock Co. Ltd. and by the owner’s Chairman Mr Vijay Chowgule. They also carried out the customary tapping of the Sake Barrel together with Chowgule Steamships representatives Ms Padma Chowgule and Mr Talwar, Mr Pratap Shirke represented the sponsor ASP Ship Management and Mr M Ikeda, represented Namura Shipbuilding Co. Ltd.

LEFT: Participants undertake the Sake Barrel ceremony during the launch celebrations. Pictured from left, Mr Vijay Chowgule, Ms Padma Chowgule, Mr Suresh Talwar, Mr Pratap Shirke, Mr M Ikeda and Mr Hideo Okeda.

BELOW:Principle dignitariesat the launch.

ABOVE: Mr Hideo Okeda (left) presents Mr Vijay Chowgule

with a memento of the launch.


The North of England P&I club (North) has launched a poster campaign to help its 375 member groups comply with the ever-changing requirements of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL).

The club’s head of loss-prevention Tony Baker said: “The IMO’s marine environment protection committee continues to amend and extend the scope of MARPOL and the consequences of non-compliance are becoming increasingly severe.

“It is thus vital that shipowners and their crews are continually reminded of the importance of adhering to the regulations and avoiding all forms of environmental pollution risk,” he says.

The fi rst of North’s new series of “Clean Seas” posters, just published, relates to MARPOL annex I - regulations for the prevention of pollution by oil - and highlights the procedures which should be followed during bunkering.

The aims of the posters is to remind seafarers of the potential for oil spills to occur during bunkering operations. Subsequent posters will highlight problems that may be experienced by vessels under the other fi ve annexes of MARPOL.

Poster cautionon bunkering

Engaging the shipping industry and Government agencies in a joint approach to oil spills in the Asia-Pacifi c region was the theme of “Spillcon 2010: Asia-Pacifi c’s Oil Spill Prevention & Preparedness Conference” held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Melbourne in April.

The conference was organised by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) with the Australian Institute of Petroleum, Marine Safety Victoria, and the Port of Melbourne Corporation, attracting 479 delegates from the equipment, shipping, ports, government and non-government sectors.

The fi rst two days were devoted to sessions covering hazardous and noxious substances response, new technologies, recent incident case studies, legislation and policies, and oil spill media response. The third day was taken up with a Response Issues Seminar, providing an opportunity for in-depth discussion on sea, shoreline and wildlife response to oil spill.

During the sessions, some 40 papers were delivered by representatives of industry, Government and regulatory agencies including AMSA, the Department of Transport Safety Bureau, the IMO, and Maritime Safety Queensland. Speakers came from the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand, as well as Australia.

The ASP Group was a major sponsor of the event and was represented by delegates Andrew Douglas, David Hutchinson, Tim Asome and Tim Tamani.

An innovative interactive exercise was held by Matthew Smith, Senior Offi cer, Marine at the Australian Marine Oil Spill Centre, who asked his audience to stand and identify the roles they saw themselves playing in the event of an oil spill. In the end, the whole audience was standing, so illustrating their individual and collective responsibility.

Speaking on Regional Agreements and Support, Catherine Taylor, Director Maritime New Zealand, urged all parties to use the existing contacts among them to strengthen the collective response in the event of a major oil spill in the region.

Stefan Micallef, Deputy Director, Marine Environment Division, IMO, reminded his listeners that 36 per cent of the world’s fl eet in deadweight tonnage terms, was made up of tankers. Most of these vessels were moving around the world, coming under various jurisdictions, with different ports and different regulations to be complied with.

David Salt, Operations Director, Oil Spill Response Ltd, drew attention to the trend towards using Floating Production Storage and Offl oading platforms (FPSOs) instead of fi xed platforms, and the consequent need for tracking these as they move from one site to another. This was particularly important in the huge expanses of ocean in the Asia Pacifi c region.

Industry and agencies join inOil Spill Conference

Addressing the Spillcon Conference: TOP LEFT: AMSA, Public Relations Manager, Tracy Jiggins. RIGHT: Edward Owens - Polaris Applied Sciences Inc.


Thanks for IBS staffInternational Bunker Supplies (IBS) Gladstone, held a special “Appreciation Dinner” on June 22 to thank crew of the bunker barge, Larcom and other staff involved in the recovery of oil and water from the bulk carrier, Sheng Neng 1 while she was stranded on Douglas Shoal, about 50 miles north of the Queensland port of Gladstone.

The full ASP Ship Management Group board, and the management team of IBS, attended the function at the Rocksalt restaurant. Among the guests was Capt Mike Lutze, Regional Harbour Master (Gladstone), who also thanked IBS for their prompt cooperation and willingness to assist in the incident.

IBS CEO Mark Patman thanked all involved, especially the barge crew for their professionalism during the operation, and for playing a vital role in the refl oating of the Sheng Neng 1, and helping to prevent the potential for a major oil spill from the ship.

The International Bunker Supplies (IBS) bunker barge Larcom, based in Gladstone, Australia, had a reversal of roles when she was summoned to unload fuel oil and water from the stranded Chinese coal carrier Shen Neng 1 in April.

The vessel had run aground on Douglas Shoal within the Great Barrier Reef on April 3, and the ship’s hull had been damaged. Consequently, the potential of oil leakage into a highly sensitive and important environmental area was a serious concern.

The Larcom’s task was to receive the fuel oil and water, using pumps on the Shen Neng 1, and then transport it to Gladstone for storage and disposal. The job was done in two stages, with the Larcom fi rst leaving for Douglas Shoal (60 miles north) at 11pm on April 7, to arrive at the stricken vessel at 6am the following day.

The Larcom, which normally carries a complement of fi ve crew, took an extra master and deck offi cer and an additional deckhand for the job, under the command of Capt Josh Raymond.

On arrival, the bunker barge had to stand off the Shen Neng 1 for 24 hours, while a fl eet of four helicopters ferried stores and salvage personnel to and from the stranded vessel. The emergency tug Pacifi c Responder was also present at the scene of the incident.

Eventually, the Larcom came alongside and began the process of pumping out the fuel oil from the Shen Neng 1.

Capt Raymond told ASPects the work was not particularly diffi cult, but living conditions aboard the barge were not ideal. The Larcom has no accommodation, so before she left Gladstone, IBS CEO Mark Patman and Ship Manager Alan Unsworth organised the supply of camp mattresses for the crew to snatch some sleep wherever they could fi nd space, as the work went on around the clock.

The Larcom returned to Gladstone on April 15 to discharge her cargo of oil and water. Then, 12 days later, after the Shen Neng 1 was refl oated and taken to a temporary anchorage outside Gladstone the Larcom, now under the command of Capt Mark Waugh, returned to fi nish the job. On this occasion, she came equipped with a small portable cabin for crew accommodation.

In total, the Larcom loaded approximately 2800 cubic metres of liquid from the Shen Neng 1, a mixture of fuel oil and water. The Shen Neng 1 was subsequently towed to a safer anchorage at Hervey Bay, Queensland to discharge cargo to lighten ship further, before returning to Gladstone in readiness for being towed to China for repairs. The vessel departed Gladstone on May 31, being towed by the ocean going tug De Da.

Maritime Safety Queensland General Manager, Patrick Quirk said:

“The successful conclusion of this incident without any further harm being done to the environment since the Shen Neng 1 struck Douglas Shoal, is a tribute to everyone who responded to the task. Small quantities of oil had escaped from the vessel when it struck the reef, and once following refl oating; however most of the oil was contained by a number of response measures including an open ocean boom. No further spillages occurred throughout the operation.“

Reversal of rolesReversal of rolesfor bunker bargefor bunker bargeReversal of rolesfor bunker barge

The bulk carrier Shen Neng 1 aground on Douglas Shoal in the Great Barrier Reef.

ABOVE: GP - Andrew Druett and his wife Colleen, and Engineer Alan Reif at the celebratory dinner.


ASP’s world leadership in the development of Bridge Resources Management was advanced recently with the establishment of a course in Port Passage Plan Management, based on the parameters of berthing at the diffi cult South Trees wharf in Gladstone, Australia.

ASP port passage plan takes Addressing the OOW, the manual states:

“This method of cross checking is called ‘priming’ and is used to engage and direct the focus of the team before the ‘critical manoeuvre.’ Do not be embarrassed about speaking up! A passage plan gives you the right and obligation to be accurately informed of the pilot’s intentions!”

The Port Passage Management Plan also covers in detail the procedures to be followed in various contingencies ranging from course alterations to the aborting of the entry and passage and returning the vessel to a safe position.

The course instruction and program for the AMC exercise was prepared by Capt Ravi Niijer, consultant to ASP.

Capt Kevin Court (Senior Master, ASP Gladstone Fleet) attended as ASP fl eet advisor to new Masters and Chief Offi cers (prospective Masters).

Also present was ASP Australia Fleet Training Superintendent Capt Tim Tamani, as technical adviser on the use of Marimatech Software, the berthing tool currently used on ASP bulk carriers visiting Gladstone. Tim is also understudying Capt Ravi Niijer on behalf of ASP Group Training.

Capt Ian Williams, Gladstone Port Senior Pilot, attended as a representative of Gladstone Port Pilots and Harbour Master. His task was to verify that the course contents complied with standards required by Gladstone Port Authority. He was also there to offer advice, and share his ship handling skills and technical knowledge with the participants.

Participants in the course were: Capt Damian Laughlin (Master, mv Vigsnes); Michael Barker (Chief Offi cer, mv Portland); Patrick Loo (Chief Offi cer, mv Portland); Capt Alam Mozumder (Master, Lindesay Clark) and Capt Douglas Harrower (Master, mv RTM Wakmatha).

ABOVE: Capt Douglas Harrower (left) and Chief Offi cer Patrick Loo at the simulator during the Gladstone Port Passage Planning exercise.

The pioneering course, using bridge simulators at the Australian Maritime College (AMC) in Launceston Tasmania, generated detailed sets of instructions for ebb and fl ood tides at the South Trees berth and its approaches for the use of Masters and Chief Offi cers under pilotage or pilotage exemption.

It is now planned to develop similar Port Passage Plan Management guides for all ports at which ASP vessels are expected to visit on regular occasions. The objective is to take entry into ports and berthage to a new level of risk avoidance by anticipating potentially dangerous contingencies beyond the provision of basic navigational directions

The new developments arose from a course held a year ago, based on berthing exercises at South Trees wharf, Gladstone. The organisers then realized that the knowledge gained in these studies could be very usefully applied to produce a complete Port Passage Plan for managing all tidal conditions for the various berths and their approaches, used regularly by ASP vessels.

The result has been the production of four ring-bound instruction manuals – two Master Manuals for ships’ Masters and two Passage Primers for Offi cers of the Watch, each carrying detailed navigation procedures for either fl ood or ebb tides.

Each manual emphasises the need for involving the whole bridge team in the pilotage process. In particular, the Offi cer of the Watch is given the primary task of monitoring and maintaining the relevant awareness of the bridge team during the pilotage and, while leaving the fi nal execution of orders to the Pilot or Exempt Master, who are responsible for checking the accuracy of the intention of the Capt/Pilot before the event occurs.


Advanced BRM to new level

Should BRM training be mandatory?Awareness of the need for higher standards of bridge resource management, now being developed to new levels by ASP, is growing throughout the shipping industry.

A recent issue of the Nautilus International newspaper Telegraph carries a two-page spread headed: “Aviation gives safety lessons for shipping” in which writer Andrew Linington states:

“As ships’ bridges increasingly resemble the fl ight decks of aircraft, the similarities between the demands on the ‘operators’ converge, and the techniques that have helped to improve aviation standards over the past 30 years have become increasingly relevant to shipping,”

He quotes behavioural scientist Adam Cowburn:

“The big difference from aviation is that there has been no real move to make BRM obligatory, whereas in aviation it became mandatory within fi ve years of the launch of fl ight deck procedures.

“What we can bring from aviation is a holistic approach to safety, where everyone on the vessel has a shared mental map and the communication on board creates a clear and common picture of what is going on and where.

“That’s a challenge, in the sense that any human factor training is ultimately about culture change and asking people to do things differently” he said.

Mr Cowburn helped develop a shipping industry Bridge Resources Management course in UK while working at the SAS Flight Academy on its CRM (Cockpit Resources Management) course for aviation pilots.

He said aviation CRM addressed human factor issues as the hierarchies, command control, decision-making and communications - all big things for shipping. One of the biggest changes CRM made in aviation was the concept that while the captain had absolute legal authority, he did not have the automatic authority to do everything.

Before that, it had been shown that factors such as authority balance, closed loop communications and challenge and response had been common elements in accidents.

An article in the North of England P and I Club’s newsletter Signal says watch keepers should not hand over with a ‘sigh of relief’ when a pilot steps on to the bridge of a ship about to arrive at, or leave a berth.

“From pilot station to berth, and from berth to pilot station, bridge team concentration should be at its highest level. Apart from keeping a proper lookout, a berth-to-berth passage plan is vital to enable the bridge team to monitor the Master’s orders and pilot’s advice when entering and leaving port.”

The article in Signal quotes the IMO recommendations on operational procedures for maritime pilots other than deep-sea pilots which include: “It should be clearly understood that any passage plan is a basic indication of referred intention and both the pilot and the Master should be prepared to depart from it when circumstances dictate.”

Monitor master’s orders andpilot’s advice


Environmental issues will lead toEnvironmental issues will lead toa revolution in world shippinga revolution in world shippingEnvironmental issues will lead toa revolution in world shipping“Innovation in the shipping industry has until relatively recently stemmed from economies of scale and the need to move more, cheaply,” writes Richard Meade in a recent issue of Lloyd’s List magazine with the dedicated topic “The Future of Shipping.”

“But that has changed and it has changed for good. Environmental drivers are leading a new age in shipping and the ultimate consequence of this will be nothing short of revolutionary, where bigger, faster and cheaper, which once stood as the guiding principles of shipping economics and design, now stands an inverted mantra of smaller, slower and inherently more expensive.

“Rising fuel prices and the looming promise of mandatory climate change legislation have spurred a rethink in the way the industry views energy effi ciency. Biofuels, liquefi ed natural gas and even nuclear power are all being developed as alternative commercial propulsion options, along with increasingly sophisticated wind, solar and wave technology.

“But all this is just the ‘tip of the iceberg’ compared to the seismic shift needed to reorganize shipping’s role in the global supply chain at an operational level. From sail to steam, to diesel and beyond the shipping industry has constantly innovated and adapted to the demands of trade.

“But the shipping industry was arguably too successful in this ultimately world-changing rush towards globalisation.

“It is too cheap. Globalisation is built on the enormous effi ciency of economies of scale that the shipping industry was able to develop. It relies on a system of commerce that requires raw materials to be shipped from their place of origin to far-away industrial centres that produce consumer goods, which are then shipped around the world again to consumers.

“It also relies on the assumption that the cost of moving goods around the world is minimal or marginal.

“But in a world where companies have to pay for the carbon footprint they leave behind, the price of energy will ultimately decide which mode of shipping will be used by supply chains in the future.

Meade declares that in the same way that the standardised shipping container enabled globalisation to reach every corner of the globe, based on cost-effectiveness, the shipping industry now needs to examine how it can operationally reconstruct itself into a more comprehensive energy-effi cient supply chain.

Meade questions whether some elements in the supply chain need to exist at all and lists ballast voyages as a major defi ciency in the search for conservation of energy. He points out that tankers currently sail 50 per cent of the time empty with, collectively about 3 billion tonnes of water ballast, and canvasses the possibility of reviving the concept of combination carriers, exporting oil cargoes on one voyage and bulk commodities on the next.

He also questions whether global supply chains need the current level of speed offered by the shipping industry, and says a permanent and industry-wide shift to signifi cantly slower speeds would require more than just a temporary bout of overcapacity and tightened credit.

Meade’s article concludes:

“All this may be counter-intuitive to an industry that has been largely reactive to the demands of trade in the past. But to think in such terms would be to miss the point.

“The paradigm shift has been made already and anyone unable or unprepared to recognise this will become the dinosaur of the new global economy - too big, too slow and destined for extinction. The shipping industry must innovate or die.”

“Price of energy willdecide on future

modes of shipping”

BIMCO has published the latest version of its standard ship management agreement SHIPMAN 2009, which replaces the earlier SHIPMAN 98. The latest version refl ects changes in the ship management industry, such as the International Safety Management and International Ship and Port Facility Security codes, and the

evolving relationships between owners and managers. Among its provision, the new edition emphasizes that a command of English is not a strict requirement for crew members, although crew must have a suffi cient knowledge of the language to perform their duties safely. - Lloyd’s List Ship Manager

BIMCO Shipman contract changes


During her recent dry docking, the tanker Anatolia Sea underwent slop tank modifi cations enlarging her HFO bunker tanks to increase her sailing range in the South Pacifi c.

The dry docking, carried out from April 10 to May 2 in Cairns, Australia under the supervision of ASP Australia Ship Manager Tim Wong, was for her fi rst Special Survey.

While docked, the hull was high pressure water washed to removed sea growth and several sections of the underwater hull were grit blasted to SA 2 rating. Other work included:

• Both under and above the water line, hull surfaces were painted with a 30 month antifouling coating to take her to the next scheduled dry docking in 2012.

• Rudder, propeller and shafting were removed for survey and inboard stern tube seals replaced

• Main engine and all auxiliary engines rebuilt or overhauled and surveyed by Lloyds Register.

• Electronic and electrical equipment serviced, inspected and calibrated as required

• Ballast tank sighting ports installed to all side and bottom ballast tanks under the new MARPOL Rules.

In addition, cargo and ballast tanks were inspected and tested and navigational equipment serviced. Life saving appliances and equipment were also serviced as part of the special survey requirements.

The 2195grt Anatolia Sea, which was built in Japan in 2005, is operated on time charter by Pacifi c Petroleum South-West Pacifi c and trades in that region, loading from Vuda, Fiji. She has a complement of 14 Fijian Offi cers and Ratings, with technical and crew management by ASP Tanker Management.

Internet access aid to crew retentionImproved Internet access at sea could help boost crew retention levels by offering closer links with family, friends and trainers, North of England P & I Club says.

“Faster turnarounds in port and restricted shore leave, mean life on-board ships can become increasingly lonely,” says North’s head of loss prevention Tony Baker. “Improving the ability to get online can have signifi cant benefi ts for crew morale and wellbeing - but it needs to be managed properly.”

The Club says living conditions on-board and the quality and cost of communication with family are key issues of concern for people considering a seafaring career. According to Baker, “Young seafarers now expect to have similar Internet connectivity when at sea as they do at home”.

North also believes better web access will aid seafarer training, which will in turn improve crew retention and reduce accidents. “Continual professional development programs rely on a signifi cant amount of on-board training and supervision, much of which could be done online,”says Baker.

However, the Club points out there are a number of technical issues that need to be overcome, not least potentially prohibitive data costs - though system development and availability are continuing to make downloading cheaper.

Legal issues are also critical, potentially resulting in ship detention and crew arrest if ships’ servers or personal computers are found to contain inappropriate material when calling at ports in certain jurisdictions. The Club recommends shipowners include suitably worded terms in contracts of employment to ensure the benefi ts of Internet use at sea can be enjoyed by all while maintaining the rights of individuals and employers.

Tanker modifi cationsTanker modifi cationsincrease sailing rangeincrease sailing rangeTanker modifi cationsincrease sailing range


New research promisesdramatic fuel savingsThe possibility of dramatic reductions in marine fuel consumption is offered by research being carried out by a team of Australian scientists

at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia.

The team combines the different specialisations of microbiology, nanotechnology, engineering and industrial sciences.

The issues being investigated all stem from bacterial activity, in particular the way bacteria adhere to surfaces by creating a “biofi lm” that protects the bacteria from the usual sterilisation treatment.

Surface chemist Professor Russell Crawford (pictured above), who is also Dean of Swinburne’s Faculty of Life and Social Sciences, told ASPects:

“The way bacteria attach to nano-smooth surfaces is different to the way they adhere to rough surfaces. The bacteria adhere to these surfaces by secreting an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) which is a combination of sugar and proteins.”

“This is the first time it has been shown that the EPS is produced in much greater quantities when bacteria come in contact with nano-smooth surfaces, causing a greater amount of bacterial attachment.”

Previously it had been believed that bacteria attach more easily to rougher surfaces, because the microscopic valleys on such surfaces provide shelter from commonly used disinfection processes, with some manufacturers going to the extent of making their products nano-smooth.

It is estimated that the build-up of such a biofi lm the thickness of a human hair on a ship’s hull, can add $US400 an hour to fuel costs because of increased drag and thus greater fuel consumption.

Most of the techniques currently used to limit the build-up of biofi lms on ships’ hulls work for a limited time, and have a severe ecological downside, with toxic chemicals being used in most marine paints.

The work of the research team is still at an early stage, but Professor Crawford envisaged that dealing with biofi lm on ships’ hulls could involve the use of novel surface modifi cation techniques, such as specialised laser treatment.

The research also has wide implications for reducing the risk of dangerous Staphylococcus outbreaks in hospitals and the failure of medical implants such as artifi cial hips and knees, where some types of bacteria attach to the implant as a biofi lm to cause further infection, the only solution being to remove and replace the implant.

ASPCM Philippines was represented at two important maritime conferences in Manila in June, attended by Capt Milind Phadnis, Owner’s Representative and Judith Alvero, Human Resource & Quality Manager (both pictured left).

The International Diplomatic Conference of Parties to the Seafarer’s Training, Certifi cation and Watchkeeping Code (STCW

[1978]) and convened by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) was held on 21-25 June at Philippine International Convention Center in Manila.

In total around 700 delegates attended this ‘fi rst of a kind’ event in which many sectors of the shipping industry joined together to inform seafarers of the changes that would come about in their lives not only because of the Manila amendments to the STCW (1978) Convention, but also of the forthcoming ILO Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC 2006).

The 2010 International Year of the Seafarer Forum followed immediately on June 26 at the same venue and was also attended by Capt Phadnis and Judith Alvero. The Forum was held as a tribute to seafarers the world over in recognition of their major contribution to the global society.

Manila chosen for International Manila chosen for International Seafarer ConferencesSeafarer ConferencesManila chosen for International Seafarer Conferences


Mandatory ECDIS regulations imminentAs from January 1, 2011 ships will be required to incorporate Electronic Chart Display and Information System, (ECDIS) and Bridge Navigational Watch Alarm System (BNWAS), an article in a recent issue of the British magazine Tanker Operator warns.

The mandatory change follows amendments to SOLAS regulations made at last year’s 86th session of the IMO’s Maritime Safety Commission. Vessels deemed to have only two years’ life left before recycling will be exempt.

The new building phase-in period will start for new vessels of over 3000gt built after July 1, 2012, while for existing vessels, the phase-in period will start from July 1, 2015.

There has been much argument about electronic versus paper charts, the integration of a dual ECDIS and, just as important – suffi cient training. The latter, including seafarer navigational certifi cation is being addressed by the IMO under the banner of the STCW amendments which were due to be adopted at a Diplomatic Conference Manila in June (see adjoining page).

Tanker Operator spoke with several leading navigational equipment suppliers about the issues facing shipowners and operators in the run up to the phasing in of the new rules regarding the carriage of ECDIS, starting with the industry’s ability to meet the mandation dates.

Steve Mariner, Business Development Manager of equipment supplier Kelvin Hughes, warned:

“The earlier a company prepares for the fi rst mandation dates, the better”.

“The market needs to realise that ECDIS mandation doesn’t just mean the fi tting of an ECDIS. It also means understanding what ECDIS backup has to be provided, how the chart data is to be kept up to date, what the fl ag state requirements are for carriage of paper and when and where crews can be trained and accredited.”

Another supplier, Mark Broster, Managing Director of ECDIS Ltd said it was diffi cult to say whether the industry would be geared up for mandation. He thought the supply side appeared ready, but there were early indications of slow demand.

“Perhaps the industry is still viewing the ever increasing manufacturer options before choosing an ECDIS. After offering free guidance to several fl eets recently on the options available, it has become clear that some shipping companies will be leaving their procurement to the last minute.”

Steve Mariner thought most vessels now carrying ECDIS were also equipped with paper chart systems, and that they were moving past a period of mistrust over the reliability of ECDIS. “This is now a mature product,” he said.

Route planning is another key element in today’s shipboard operations (see ASPects April edition, page 4).

Mariner claimed than an ECDIS simplifi es this shipboard function. “This is especially true on coastal passages where traditionally the route may have been plotted over numerous paper charts with

different amounts of overlap.

“Transferring the exit from one chart to the entry on the next has always been time consuming and prone to error. On the ECDIS this is greatly simplifi ed as the route can be planned initially on a small scale and each section can be looked at in detail simply by zooming in.

Possibly the greatest safety feature is that as the route is planned, the intended vessel course is checked against the chart database. This will warn the navigator in the event that there is a depth or isolated danger problem along the track,” he said.

“The earlier a company prepares for the fi rst mandation dates, the better.”


“Fines” in fuel a “Fines” in fuel a growing growing threat to marine enginesthreat to marine engines“Fines” in fuel a growing threat to marine engines

“Garbage” in heavy fuel oils is a serious threat to the operation of ships’ engines, according to Capt John David (pictured left), of the UK consultancy surveying company Marine Professionals.

The “garbage” is composed of catalytic fi nes (“cat” fi nes) – tiny, very abrasive metal particles found in ships’ fuel.

The particles are becoming the X factor in the midst of ships and are becoming the source of more and more claims on the marine insurance market, at an average of more than $1 million at a time, Capt David writes in a recent article in the British magazine Ship Management International, reproduced in part here by kind permission of the publishers.

Pointing out that ship’s engines are brutal machines, some half the size of a large building, and they are operated under harsh conditions in all kinds of climates and environments, often by unsophisticated personnel and to ever more technical specifi cations and tolerances.

Traditionally, fuel supplied to ships has often caused on-board wear, handling and combustion problems. All these problems were primarily to do with poor on-board fuel management, and the damage occurs in the top part of the engine—the combustion part.

The compulsory reduction of sulphur content in fuel oils under MARPOL VI, calling for a maximum 0.1 percent sulphur content, is designed to benefi t the environment, but could have serious long-term consequences for marine engine wear.

Marine engines are robust, to the extent that they could probably run on heated road tar; they are able to burn the residual dregs from the original, simple distillation refi nery process with ease and quite cheaply.

However, says Capt David, the boffi ns in the oil refi neries worked out that if they cooked the dregs in a vacuum then passed it through a catalytic cracking tower, they could get even more petrol and gas oils out of it, and make money out of every barrel of crude oil.

Emerging almost as a by-product, the “gunge” remainder is still a burnable fuel, and low in sulphur – ideal for the environment and the demands of legislators.

The trouble for ship’s engines is that this secondary refi ning process uses catalysts to “crack” the residual hydrocarbon chains into more valuable fuels. Catalysts are marble sized balls of aluminium and silicon oxides, which, as they bounce around in the distillation tower shed tiny hard and abrasive fl akes, which settle into the residual ship’s fuel.

Ironically, the better refi ning techniques and the demand for low sulphur mean that fi nes are found in fuel and will be more so as time goes on, Capt David warns.

He acknowledged that such problems would not occur if the more expensive refi ned diesel oil was used, but says that if cat fi nes are not properly removed from the lower grade fuel, the replacement and delay costs for all the parts in the top end of the engine could cost between $1 million and $2 million.

He says that prudent ship owners are insisting that their vessels are only ever supplied with “better” than ISO standard fuels and with a cat fi nes level specifi ed at, say, no more than 25mg/kg.

It is an ISM requirement to run a ship safely, and if owners are taking in fuel which is going to trash the engine in a day, the authorities are going to be all over the owners and crews for breaching SOLAS and pollution requirements and the company potentially faces criminal charges, if that ship runs aground because the engine has been demobilized, Capt David warns.

CAT FINES DAMAGESymptoms of cat fi nes damage are poor combustion, high exhaust

temperatures and poor fuel injection pressures, quickly followed by accelerated wear in fuel pumps, injectors, piston rings and cylinder

linings and a build-up of carbon residues.


First liquid cargo course in MumbaiThe fi rst customized Liquid Cargo Simulator Handling Course, developed by the ASP Training Team in Mumbai, was conducted in May on a Kongsberg Liquid Cargo Simulator based at the International Maritime Training Centre in Mumbai.

The course, conducted by Capt Ajeet Singh, ASP India Fleet Training Superintendent, and designed for deck offi cers of the tanker fl eet, covers:• Preparation of cargo plan• Loading scenarios with multiple grades of cargo• Bulk loading of oil – single grade• Cargo transfer procedures• Discharging and stripping operations• Discharging cargo with IG plant in operation• Handling of breakdowns (system and procedure)

Intensive passage planning course in ManilaASPCM conducted an intense passage planning course in Manila in May, the fi rst of a projected series of similar courses which, after fi ne tuning, will be replicated at other ASP centres.

The program, which has a workshop structure, covers three aspects of Passage Planning: • Manual calculations of tides (both heights and times for

primary and secondary ports) • Creation of a passage plan for a designated voyage, which

is then compared to the ideal plan designed by the Trainer. A Gap Analysis is carried out and training is imparted accordingly.

• Carrying out corrections on nautical charts, Admiralty List of Lights and Admiralty List of Radio Signals.

ASP Group Training Manager Capt Purnendu Shorey told ASPects:“Considering the ever increasing requirements from oil majors and CDI inspectors for passage planning and chart corrections, we decided to enhance the competency of our deck offi cers in this area by designing an intense in-house course that covers both, company and industry requirements”.

New psychometric profi ling initiativePsychometric profi ling of offi cers joining ASP Tanker Management vessels through the ASP Crew Management offi ces in India began in May. The tests are conducted at the ASP Training Centre in Mumbai and are assessed by a certifi ed psychologist.

TRAINING

Pictured are participants in the LCSH course, from left: Rear: Capt Ajeet Singh, 2/O Parvez Alam, C/O Omar Rathore and

Capt Amit Yadav.Front: 2/O Shashi Raman, C/O Gurmeet Singh and C/O Bhupendra

Ambekar.

Passage planning course participants, from left:J/O Trinanes Jeffrey,3/O Galicia Alexander,ASP Manila Training Manager Marcelino Bautista, J/O Mabini Jubhill and J/O Carlo Aristotle.

Upon satisfactory assessment of this fi rst program at the Management Review Meeting in October, 2010, the psychometric testing procedure may be continued and extended to all offi cers across the ASP Group fl eet in due course.

Piracy Awareness Course on ASP ePortalPiracy Awareness Course on ASP ePortalPiracy Awareness Course on ASP ePortalA new Training Course that deals with the ever increasing menace of anti-piracy security was developed and implemented on the ASP eLearning Portal in April 2010.

The Course also discusses the matter of piracy in certain areas of the world, especially the Gulf of Aden, and preventive measures that may be adopted by the ship’s crews.


New guidelines for ISM Code publishedThe International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the International Shipping Federation (ISF) have published a new edition of their widely used Guidelines on the Application of the IMO International Safety Management (ISM) Code with additional guidance on risk management, safety culture and environmental management.

In particular, additional guidance has been included on the maintenance of Safety Management Systems (SMS), which are at the heart of the ISM Code’s objectives, and on the role of the Designated Person Ashore (DPA) who provides the key link between the ship and shore based management.

A new analysis is included of why accidents happen, and expanded advice is provided on risk management and on the operation of a ‘safety culture’, in order that companies can fulfi l the spirit, as well as the letter, of the ISM Code’s requirements.

ICS/ISF Secretary General, Tony Mason, explained: “While safety of life at sea must always be the fi rst priority, the important role of the SMS in preventing marine pollution must not be overlooked. Our new edition therefore places additional emphasis on environmental management.” The Guidelines also consider the potential for linkage between ISM systems and the need to reduce fuel consumption, using Ship Energy Effi ciency Management Plans that have been adopted by IMO, on a voluntary basis, in order to reduce CO2 emissions. One of the provisions in the guidelines states: “The company should carry out internal safety audits on board at intervals not exceeding 12 months to verify whether safety and pollution-prevention activities comply.”Previous wording left it up to the company, where maritime specifi cations did not require any specifi c interval between audits.

Lloyd’s Register and the birth of classifi cation marks 250 yearsThis year marks the 250th anniversary of the foundation of Lloyds Register, after Edward Lloyd, owner of Lloyd’s coffee house in London, helped his customers in the insurance industry to exchange information by circulating a printed sheet of all the shipping news he heard. In 1760, the Register Society was formed by the customers of the coffee house.

The Society printed the fi rst Register of Ships in 1764 in order to give both underwriters and merchants an idea of the condition of the vessels they insured and chartered: ship hulls were graded on a lettered scale (A being the top), and ship’s fi ttings (masts, rigging, and other equipment) was graded by number (1 being the top). The top classifi cation “A1”, from which the expression A1, or A1 at Lloyd’s, is derived, fi rst appeared in the 1775–1776 edition of the Register.

Thus began the now worldwide concept of classifi cation. The Information Offi ce for Maritime Insurance was founded in Antwerp in 1828 and later renamed Bureau Veritas (BV). Then followed the Registro Italiano Navale (RINA) in Genoa and in 1864 came the Norwegian Det Norske Veritas (DNV), and Germanische Lloyd (GL) in 1867. Societies in Japan, Russia, Greece and Poland were formed in the period up to 1936.

After World War II, classifi cation societies proliferated, refl ecting individual national aspirations, the acceleration in international trade and the size of the global fl eet. Within recent decades, other organisations have emerged, so that today there are more than 50 classifi cations societies worldwide.

The independent class society International Register of Ships (IRS) which today serves more than 1,300 vessels, was inaugurated in 1993.

As classifi cation systems and requirements evolved, the practice of giving different grades according to ship condition has been largely superseded.

Today, a ship either meets a class society’s standards and rules or it does not. However, each of the classifi cation societies has developed a series of extra or optional notations that may be granted to a vessel to indicate that it complies with some additional criteria.

These may be either specifi c to that vessel type, or denote that the level is in excess of the standard class requirements. The development of such notations is continuing, as seen in areas relating to environmental standards.

The dangers of working in confi ned spaces are usually recognized as falls or asphyxiation. However, these are not the only dangers.

A recent safety alert from the US Coastguard records an incident aboard a Great Lakes bulk carrier in which a

seafarer was electrocuted and another badly shocked while working in a dark and confi ned

cargo tunnel under the ship’s holds.

The offi cial investigation showed that both men’s heads had made contact with a live broken lamp fi xture in the tunnel. The second man sustained serious injury after trying to go to the assistance of the other. The incident showed that, apart from the need to identify and repair faulty electrical fi xtures promptly, those arriving fi rst on the scene of an electrical accident should ensure power supply is disconnected before giving assistance. – Lloyd’s List Ship Manager

Bare wires danger in confi ned spaces


Expansion of business for ASPCM Ukraine has prompted the decision to open a subsidiary crewing offi ce in Batumi, in the neighbouring State of Georgia. The new operation, ASP Crew Management Georgia, is being managed by former chemical tanker Master Capt Irakli Sharabidze.

The decision to open the new offi ce was made during a visit in June by Group Financial Director Adrian Whatley, with ASPCM Ukraine General Manager Capt Peter Pashegor and Operations Manager Vitaliy Chayka.

“The anticipated expansion of the ASPSM and ASPCM business, has driven the need for us to seek a wider network, and nationality range of seafarers. We expect the Georgian offi ce to begin delivering quality crews promptly

across both bulk and tanker vessels, and to provide greater fl exible crewing options to our clients,” Adrian said.

ASPCM Ukraine and Georgia expect to provide crews to new chemical tankers in August and September this year.

Appointments in Ukraine

Vitaliy Chayka (pictured left), recently appointed Operations Manager Ukraine has worked with ASPCM for fi ve years as a crew manager, which

has been his profession since graduating in 1999 from the Odessa Maritime University.

Vitaliy was among the fi rst staff appointed when the Odessa offi ce was opened in 2005.

Chief Engineer Dmytro Kolganenko (pictured right), who has been appointed Crew Manager for ASPCM, began his sea career in 1979, and served on a wide variety of ship types including ro-ros, reefers, chemical tankers and heavy lift vessels.

In his new position, Dmytro will be involved in the selection of engineering department crews for employment in the ASP Fleet and in teaching at the ASP Training Centre in Odessa.

CREW MANAGEMENT

ABOVE from left: Capt Sharabidze, Capt Pashegor, Adrian Whatley and Vitaliy Chayka.LEFT: Capt Irakli Sharabidze (standing); from bottom left, Crew Coordinator Bukia Lia, Crew Manager Bakuridze Roman, Administrator Chaganava Nino.

New Crew ManagerKaterina Sidorova (pictured right) has been promoted to Crew Manager in the ASPCM Ukraine offi ce. She joined the company in May 2008 as Training Manager Assistant and later moved to the Crewing Department. She graduated from Odessa Maritime University in 1998 and has since worked in a variety of appointments in the shipping industry.

New office opened in Georgiain GeorgiaNew office opened in Georgia


Plans to extend drydocking intervalsIn a move that should involve increased condition monitoring and planned maintenance operations, the Liberian registry has initiated a pilot scheme to extend vessel compulsory drydocking intervals to 7.5 years, Tanker Operator magazine reports.

The intervals, or periods between external ship’s underwater inspections, which are laid out in SOLAS as well as in Class Society regulations, are a minimum of two exterior inspections on a ship’s hull, undertaken during the fi ve-year validity period of the Safety Construction certifi cate.

Class Societies and others have recognized that superior coating technology suggested a need to reduce frequent drydocking periods to maintain and recoat a vessel’s hull, and that drydocking cycles were no longer inexorably linked to class renewal cycles.

Under the new scheme, class renewals would be undertaken via in-water surveys and vessels could get authorisation to be docked every 7.5 years, provided that two in-water surveys are successfully undertaken during the intervening period.

Class Society Germanischer Lloyd (GL) has developed a hull management software program to support such a scheme, covering the entire hull structure inspection process, including planning, preparation, execution and reporting.

The program, for the fi rst time ever, makes identical hull status data available on board as well as ashore, indicating any degradation symptoms present in the structure. By warning managers proactively about degrading hull conditions, the software helps to avoid costly repairs.

Singapore WeddingASP Singapore General Manager Robert Walker and his long term partner Lin were married in the lush tropical setting of the gardens at Raffl es Hotel in Singapore on Saturday, June 26. A small gathering of family and close friends witnessed the intimate ceremony under the garden pagoda and later toasted and dined with the couple on the lawn under the stars. Lin was escorted into the garden by her son Ben and preceded by daughters and fl ower girls Phoebe and Charlotte. “It was a perfect celebration,” Rob said. “We were so worried that it might rain but in the end it stayed dry, except for the champagne of course!”


STAFF NEWS

Finance Manager

Tanker experts for ASPCM India

Andrew McLoughin has been appointed Finance Manager for ASP Ship Management Australia, based in Melbourne. Andrew, who was born in South Africa but moved to Australia 25 years ago, has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Monash University Australia, and has qualifi ed as a Chartered Accountant. He worked as a public practice accountant for fi ve years, before joining a construction company, and then taking up his ASP post in June this year.

Andrew’s main outside interests are playing and watching sport, including AFL, cricket, basketball and golf.

Capt Cypriano Saldanha (left) has been appointed Operations Manager for ASPCM Mumbai

Capt Saldanha has spent more than 20 years at sea on a variety of vessels including oil and chemical tankers, bulk, container and general cargo ships. He came ashore in July 2007 to join Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Maritime (India) as a Manning Superintendent in the HR Department. He was in charge of the recruitment and placement of offi cers on tankers, and for the selection of cadets. He is also a trained Lead Auditor and Trainer.

His role at ASPCM Mumbai is to take charge of the recruitment and placement of Indian Offi cers on the expanding tanker fl eet.

Newly appointed Fleet Personnel Department Executive Nitin Kulkarni (right) has worked in the shipping industry for more than 12 years and has been involved in executive positions, both Operations and Fleet Personnel, with organisations such as Anglo Eastern, Bernard Schulte and OMCI. He has been appointed to ASPCM India in order to support the tanker division.

Last farewell to old shipmatesWe regret having to record the deaths of two long-serving ASP seafarers, Capt Tom Moyes (pictured bottom left), whose last command was the ANL Australia and I/R John Massie (pictured bottom middle) who was a member of the crew of the British Fidelity. In addition, Warren Joseph (pictured bottom right) who had only recently joined the company died unexpectedly. Our sympathy goes out to all of their families, friends and colleagues.

Capt Moyes, who died on June 8, had been in the Merchant Marine before he joined the British Army and came to Australia early in the Vietnam war. Later, he transferred to the Royal Australian Navy, where he reached the rank of Lieutenant Commander, taking command of the minesweeper HMAS Kanimbla.

In July 1980 he joined ANL and rose through the ranks to gain his fi rst command on the Australian Enterprise in 1997.

Capt Moyes is survived by his wife Flora, their children David (also a seafarer), Hazel and Colin, and four grandchildren.

John Massie fi rst went to sea in 1963, serving at various times in a number of ASP vessels, and from 1993 was in continuous employment with ASP. He is survived by his wife Marie, two daughters, two grand-daughters and a grandson. He died in May, aged 64.

Warren Joseph, who died on July 11 aged 60, had been a Maintenance Engineer at ASP Rockingham, in Western Australia since September 2009. Warren started as a Royal Australian Navy engineering apprentice in 1966, and had a total of 18 years’ Naval service with wide-ranging experience in maintenance systems, surface weapons systems and technical training on destroyer escorts. He also had wide repair and project management experience, predominantly associated with RAN vessels.

He is survived by his wife Hanisah, and three adult children.

to 1997.


TRAVEL

New Junior Consultant for Mariner TravelMariner Travel’s newly-appointed Junior Consultant Melissa Briggs, has a Diploma in Tourism Management from William Angliss College in Melbourne, and before joining Mariner Travel, had two years’ experience with a Melbourne travel agency.

Melissa, appropriately, lists travel as her keenest interest. She recently returned from Canada, where she had worked in a ski resort, and has also visited New Caledonia and the Cook Islands in the Pacifi c.

From left: Neha Sharma, Mariner Travel Senior Consultant Andrew Denishevsky, Levita D’cunha and Varsha Bhapkar, during a training

session in Melbourne.

Indian Wedding

Training for new Mumbai staffThree staff members appointed to the newly-established Mariner Travel India offi ce visited Melbourne in July for a training session with Mariner Travel General Manager Joanne Tomasi and Senior Consultant Andrew Denishensky.

The newcomers, Neha Sharma, Levita D’cunha and Varsha Bhapkar will form the Mariner Travel Department in the ASP Crew Management offi ce in Mumbai.

Before joining Mariner Travel, Neha worked for a Mumbai based shipping company in crew management and Levita has been employed by ASPCM on crew travel duties for the past two years.

It was a traditional wedding held recently in Mumbai, for ASPCM India IT Manager, Nilesh Surve and his wife Shraddha. The full Hindu ritual ceremony was carried out, with best wishes and blessings being bestowed by their parents, friends and colleagues who attended the wedding and the reception.

The wedding ceremony and reception both took place on May 24 in Mumbai-Kurla at Shri Kutchhivisha Oswal Jain Seva Samaj hall.

Dubai ban full body scannersAirports in Dubai will not introduce full body scanners as part of their border security regime.

The decision was made because the devices do not correspond with national customs and ethics, said Brig Ahmed bin Thani, the Dubai Police’s director of airport security.“I do not feel that it is necessary for us to implement such a technology while we are operating different methods and have different avenues that have worked so far,” he told the National newspaper.

Tests on in-fl ight CCTVAircraft could be installed with CCTVs, hidden microphones and ‘sniffers’ in the toilets to try to catch terrorists who manage to slip through airport security to get on-board planes. According to reports in the London Daily Telegraph, European Union funded research at Reading University has already led to trials of the sophisticated system on non-commercial aircraft. The idea is that pilots would be warned if passengers are seen to be behaving suspiciously on CCTV, or of conversations picked up by the hidden microphones.

Varsha, at present Accounting Manager for ASP India will be in charge of accounting for Mariner Travel India.

WORLDTRAVEL NEWS


Essay competition needs your supportBecause we have not received any contributions for the ASPects essay competition for this issue, this page is given over to other material. This is a disappointing result, and we would be reluctant to abandon the competition entirely. ASPects

is a vital link between our seafaring staff and the ASP Group. It is your magazine and it depends on your support. The prize of US$1000 is a generous one, and the competition is open to all our seafarers, regardless of rank. Get your creative juices

fl owing, and let’s have the results.Mail to The Editor, ASPects, ASP Ship Management 473 St Kilda Road, Melbourne Vic 3004 Australia,

or email to [email protected]

How champagne saved a leaking schoonerASPects Editorial Consultant Bryan Reid once more mines his memoirs of his early career as shipping reporter on the New Zealand daily, the Auckland Star in the late 1940s.

On a rare Saturday off from work, I saw, just approaching North Head, a big white-hulled three-masted, schooner, then the largest sailing vessel I had ever seen. This was an opportunity not to be missed by a shipping reporter. I then rode my bike at top speed into the city and boarded the ship.

She was L’Oiseau des Iles, owned by the French Phosphate Company, trading in the Pacifi c Islands.I was welcomed heartily by her dapper and genial Master, Capt André Praud, and I learned that the L’Oiseau des Iles had sailed 17 days earlier from Tahiti for Auckland for unspecifi ed repairs.

The schooner, built at Nantes, France in 1935 was 146ft long with a beam of 27ft, was powered by a 400hp auxiliary diesel engine. Capt Praud was a veteran of World War I, including service in the Dardanelles and had been awarded several medals including the Croix de Guerre.

It took me 60 years, with the help of digital technology and the worldwide web, to discover the later history of the L’Oiseau des Iles. A few years ago, fl icking through Google and pondering idly on her fate, I was delighted to fi nd that the ship was not only still afl oat, but still working – as a cruise vessel in the Caribbean.

But even more interesting was an account of the schooner’s last voyage – not the one on which I went aboard, but another visit to Auckland a year later. A French maritime journal recorded that on 25 May 1947 L’Oiseau des Iles had set sail from Tahiti for Raratonga with about 170 passengers and a double crew, a doctor and a labour agent whose job was to recruit workers for the phosphate mines of Makatea.

According to the article, there have been several versions of what happened on the voyage, when the ship was in sight of what was supposed to be the island of Maiao. Suddenly, and violently, the vessel struck a reef. It seems that no astronomical observations

had been made since the beginning of the crossing and estimates of the ship’s position were false. Their “landfall” turned out be the atoll of Mopelia.

The subsequent events were recalled by the Chief Engineer, who mused: “Just think. A hundred and eighty nautical miles off course! Only an error of about a third of the distance from Dunkirk to Marseilles! And in fi ne weather!”

“Not a hint of panic among the passengers, but the duty offi cer was rather embarrassed. Alone on the bridge, he had not seen the island!”

There was no panic on board. The ship’s boats took the passengers, luggage and stores ashore where everyone enjoyed island hospitality for several days. Then the whole thing took on the character of a French farce.

While everyone else relaxed ashore, the engineers set to work with new pumps delivered from the local French Naval base. The holds continued to fi ll with water, but the watertight bulkheads fore and aft stood fi rm. They built a cofferdam around the main source of the leak, where they found twenty rivets had popped out.

Then the Chief Engineer reminded the Master that they had “quite a few” bottles of champagne they had taken on in Tahiti, and that the corks must be about the same size as the rivet holes.

“We put the pumps on at full bore,” he recalled, and everyone had a go at sticking the corks into the holes from the outside.”

That did it! The ship righted itself, and everything was reloaded. They sailed quietly back to Tahiti, and then set off again for for repairs in Auckland.

It was Capt Praud’s last voyage in command. The Chief Engineer did not disclose what became of the contents of the champagne bottles!

ASP Group supports The Mission to Seafarers

Adrian WhatleyGroup Finance Director

Tel: +61 3 9211 9320 Mob/Cell: +61 419 177 522 Email: [email protected]

Group General Manager ASPCM

Ben BrooksbyTel: +65 6576 5728

Mob/Cell: +65 9150 6817

Bob BirdGroup Chief Operating Offi cer


Commercial Development Managers

AUSTRALIAMelbourneContact: Stephen HillTel: + 61 3 9211 9311Mob/Cell: + 61 412 636 314Email: [email protected]

GladstoneContact: Stephen HillTel: + 61 3 9211 9311Mob/Cell: + 61 412 636 314Email: [email protected]

RockinghamContact: Tim PyattTel: + 61 8 9529 4311Mob/Cell: + 61 437 614 753Email: [email protected]

NEW ZEALANDSilver Fern ShippingWellingtonContact: Steve ParkerTel: + 64 (0) 4 460 3924Mob/Cell: + 64 (0)27 4524 744Email: [email protected]

UNITED KINGDOMGlasgowContact: Peik AaltoTel: + 44 (0) 141 553 2231Mob/Cell: + 44 790 996 2332Email: [email protected]

FINLANDMariehamn Contact: Mikael HolmTel: + 358 18 620 600Mob/Cell: + 358 40 900 7090Email: [email protected]

ITALYASP Yacht ManagementSan RemoContact: Lena SundellMob/Cell: + 39 346 840 4702Email: [email protected]

SINGAPOREASP Tanker ManagementContact: Robert WalkerTel: + 65 6576 5750Mob/Cell: + 659 757 3678Email: [email protected]

ASP Dry BulkContact: Norman BainbridgeTel: + 65 6576 5710Mob/Cell: + 65 9823 9800Email: [email protected]

INDIAMumbaiContact: Hirakesh RoyTel: + 91 22 6602 9000Mob/Cell: + 91 9833 125 226Email: [email protected]

AUSTRALIAMelbourneContact: Evan WestgarthTel: + 61 3 9211 9332Mob/Cell: + 61 423 299 668Email: [email protected]

INDIAMumbaiContact: Girish PhadnisTel: + 91 22 6602 9000Mob/Cell: + 91 98 2064 9939Email: [email protected]

KolkataContact: Sumit DasguptaTel: + 91 33 6458 0507Mob/Cell: + 91 98 3038 6810Email: [email protected]

PHILIPPINESManilaContact: Milind PhadnisTel: + 63 2 302 7640Mob/Cell: + 63 917 558 4829Email: [email protected]

SINGAPOREContact: Vincent LimTel: + 656 576 5746Mob/Cell: + 65 9003 4999Email: [email protected]

UKRAINEOdessaContact: Peter PashegorTel: + 380 48 785 1114Mob/Cell: + 380 674 830 390Email: [email protected]

GEORGIABatumiContact: Irakli SharabidzeTel: +995 222 21498Mob/Cell: + 995 99 690066Email: [email protected]

AUSTRALIAGladstoneContact:Mark PatmanTel: + 61 3 9211 9333Mob/Cell: + 61 411 141 942Email: [email protected]

Universal BunkeringMelbourneContact: Mark NeveTel: + 61 3 9211 9313Mob/Cell: + 61 418 530 171Email: [email protected]

AUSTRALIAMelbourneContact:Joanne TomasiTel: + 61 3 9211 9341Mob/Cell: + 61 407 312 254 Email: [email protected]

UKRAINEOdessaContact: Violetta LyubaretsMob/Cell: + 38 850 4161 987 Email: [email protected]

ASP CREW MANAGEMENTASP SHIP MANAGEMENT

David BorcoskiGroup CEO / Managing Director


ASP SHIP MANAGEMENT GROUP

Oceania/AsiaScott WoodwardTel: +65 6576 5728

Mob/Cell: +65 9150 6817

UK/EuropeDavid SkentelberyTel: +65 6576 5728

Mob/Cell: +65 9150 6817

• Fleet Management Offi ces

• Crew Management Offi ces

INDIA MumbaiContact:Neha SharmaTel: + 91 22 6602 9100Email: [email protected]

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